Coach Ross Lyon says Fremantle are mediocre after being steamrolled by a fast-finishing Port Adelaide on Saturday.

The Power took top spot on the AFL ladder with their stirring 18-point victory, 13.16 (94) to 11.10 (76), at Adelaide Oval.

Freo boss Lyon was blunt when describing his Dockers as “in the ruck” with four wins and four losses.

“We have got some challenges … we are a mediocre team at the minute,” Lyon said.

“We acknowledge it: we are normal, good, average, mediocre … but we are certainly not great, that is indisputable.

“We’re not one of the best teams in the competition because if we were we would have been able to beat them and we’d be sitting with one loss or two losses like the best teams.

“We’ve got better footy in us, but talk’s cheap, we need to pull that out.”

Fremantle playmaker Stephen Hill suffered a left knee injury and was substituted early in the third quarter.

Port banked their seventh win from eight games to record their best-ever start to a season.

“We have played good footy, there is no doubt we have played strong footy,” Port coach Ken Hinkley said after his side kicked five goals to two in the final quarter.

“We have played enough solid football that we are where we are. And we deserve that right now.”

AAP